1. Field
The current disclosure relates to a unique and compact self-lock glazing system composed of two aluminum extrusion profiles—a male profile and a female profile—designed in such a way to self-lock glass panels using beadings. The mechanism functions when a glass panel is positioned on setting blocks over the flat surface of the upper leg of the said female profile—with spacers between the vertical leg of the said female profile and the said glass panel (as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) and the said male profile with the locking tip facing upward on its horizontal leg inserted into the gap between the upper leg and the lower leg of the said female profile against the female locking tip above. The locking tips of both male and female profiles are then engaged by tilting the vertical leg 30 of the said male profile outward about its built-in fulcrum, and inserting wedges into the space so created between the said glass panel and the vertical leg of the male profile, for keeping the said glass panel locked in position. The mechanism further tightens grip on the edges of the said glass panel when the said spacers and wedges are replaced by rubber beadings of appropriate resilience (which, for a glazing, avoids touching metal, to allow expansion and to absorb impacts).
In one example, the system may include locking beads or a locking bead profile that cause the male and female profiles, typically made of metal, to engage and self-lock. The introduction of the locking bead profile lends a unique dynamism to the mechanism. The tensile nature of the vertical legs causes a mating action in the locking chamber and the resulting equal and opposite reactions keeps the locking bead profile in equilibrium between the horizontal tips of both the male and female profiles by means of the built-in fulcrum. This balancing act of forces remains in the locking system throughout the life of the system.
2. General Background
U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,221 entitled “snap-in glazing pocket filler” disclosed a snap-in pocket filler for use with a structural frame member having an unused glazing pocket, or for use as gap filler on aluminum profiles to cover the unused area for aesthetic reason.
It was noticed that a proper glazing system was lacking in the market to meet the increasing demand for thicker glazing (e.g. shop fronts and partitions) and it has become a necessity for those skilled in the art to develop a system which must be simple, technically safe and aesthetically impressive.
The following U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference:
TABLEPATENT NO.TITLEISSUE DATE3,774,363Glazing Window or Windscreen Open-Nov. 27, 1973ings, Particularly in Vehicle Bodies3,881,290Glazed Impervious Sheet AssemblyMay 6, 1975and Method of Glazing4,689,933Thermally Insulated Window SashSept. 1, 1987Construction for a Casement WindowDE2614803GLASFALZLEISTEOct. 27, 1977JP10184208Filling to Which Glass and the LikeJul. 14, 1998can be Easily Attached/DetachedJP11256942Glazing GasketSept. 21, 1999UK2237600Preventing Removal of Glazing BeadMay 8, 1991
In addition, in the construction industry and in other industries it is generally desirable to have a high strength-weight ratio load-bearing material for supporting loads over extended lengths. For instance, I-beams are commonly used as support structures in construction and civil engineering. Typically, I-beams are oriented such that flanges are maintained horizontally, while a web between the flanges is in a vertical orientation. In such fashion, gravitational loads along the length of the I-beam are oriented about the maximum moment of inertia, providing an efficient design for both bending and shear loads in the plane of the web. In a transverse orientation, for instance in an orientation where the flanges themselves are oriented in a vertical direction, loads are transverse to the flanges and an I-beam in this orientation is not an efficient support structure.
In general the moment of inertia is based on a distance that material is located from its neutral axis. As commonly known, the neutral axis is an axis in the cross section of a beam (a member resisting bending) or shaft along which there are no longitudinal stresses or strains. Thus, when oriented such that the flanges bear the load, because the flanges of an I-beam are located distant from the neutral axis the flanges provide an efficient structural design.
However, I-beams are not only costly to build but they are also costly to transport to construction sites, and bulky to work with at construction sites. For instance, in construction of a skyscraper, I-beams may be transported to very high sections of a building and may be difficult to move about and position during such construction. One reason for such inconvenience is because the I-beams are constructed to span great lengths, and they therefore are bulky to transport and install in their final end-use location. Thus, although I-beams have long provided a capability to support tremendous loads in an efficient fashion in construction and other engineering activities, their use includes the setbacks that include costly construction and costly transportation and assembly challenges. As such, there is a need for an improved construction support design that is less expensive and more convenient to fabricate, transport, and install.